Static impurities in the kagome lattice: dimer freezing and mutual repulsion

We consider the effects of doping the S = 1/2 kagome lattice with static impurities. We demonstrate that impurities lower the number of low-lying singlet states, induce dimer-dimer correlations of considerable spatial extent, and do not generate free spin degrees of freedom. Most importantly, they experience a highly unconventional mutual repulsion as a direct consequence of the strong spin frustration. These properties are illustrated by exact diagonalization, and reproduced to semi-quantitative accuracy within a dimer resonating-valence-bond description which affords access to longer length scales. We calculate the local magnetization induced by doped impurities, and consider its implications for nuclear magnetic resonance measurements on known kagome systems.Comment: 9 pages, 12 figure

Spin dynamics and coherent tunnelling in the molecular magnetic rings Fe_6 and Fe_8

We present detailed calculations of low-energy spin dynamics in the ``ferric wheel'' systems Na:Fe_6 and Cs:Fe_8 in a magnetic field. We compute by exact diagonalisation the low-energy spectra and matrix elements for total-spin and N'eel-vector components, and thus the time-dependent correlation functions of these operators. Comparison of our results with the semiclassical theory of coherent quantum tunnelling of the N'eel vector demonstrates the validity of a two-state description for the low-energy dynamics of ferric wheels. We discuss the implications of our results for mesoscopic quantum coherent phenomena, and for the experimental techniques to observe them, in molecular magnetic rings.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures; considerably expanded discussion; to appear in Eur. Phys. J.

Public health training in Europe. Development of European masters degrees in public health.

BACKGROUND: Changing political and economic relations in Europe mean that there are new challenges for public health and public health training. There have been several attempts to develop training at the master's level in public health which is focused on meeting the new needs. These have failed due to being too inflexible to allow participation by schools of public health. METHODS: A project funded by the European Union involving public health trainers has developed a new approach which allows participating schools to retain their national differences and work within local rules and traditions, but which aims to introduce the European dimension into public health training. This paper reports the conclusions of this project. CONCLUSIONS: A network of schools wishing to develop European Master's degrees is being established and other schools offering good quality programmes will be able to join

On possible superconductivity in the doped ladder compound La_(1-x)Sr_xCuO_2.5

LaCuO_2.5 is a system of coupled, two-chain, cuprate ladders which may be doped systematically by Sr substitution. Motivated by the recent synthesis of single crystals, we investigate theoretically the possibility of superconductivity in this compound. We use a model of spin fluctuation-mediated superconductivity, where the pairing potential is strongly peaked at \pi in the ladder direction. We solve the coupled gap equations on the bonding and antibonding ladder bands to find superconducting solutions across the range of doping, and discuss their relevance to the real material.Comment: RevTex, 4 pages, 7 figure

Accurate determination of the Gaussian transition in spin-1 chains with single-ion anisotropy

The Gaussian transition in the spin-one Heisenberg chain with single-ion anisotropy is extremely difficult to treat, both analytically and numerically. We introduce an improved DMRG procedure with strict error control, which we use to access very large systems. By considering the bulk entropy, we determine the Gaussian transition point to 4-digit accuracy, $D_{c}/J = 0.96845(8)$, resolving a long-standing debate in quantum magnetism. With this value, we obtain high-precision data for the critical behavior of quantities including the ground-state energy, gap, and transverse string-order parameter, and for the critical exponent, $\nu = 1.472(2)$. Applying our improved technique at $J_{z} = 0.5$ highlights essential differences in critical behavior along the Gaussian transition line.Comment: 4 pages and 4 figure

The Kinetic Activation-Relaxation Technique: A Powerful Off-lattice On-the-fly Kinetic Monte Carlo Algorithm

Many materials science phenomena, such as growth and self-organisation, are dominated by activated diffusion processes and occur on timescales that are well beyond the reach of standard-molecular dynamics simulations. Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) schemes make it possible to overcome this limitation and achieve experimental timescales. However, most KMC approaches proceed by discretizing the problem in space in order to identify, from the outset, a fixed set of barriers that are used throughout the simulations, limiting the range of problems that can be addressed. Here, we propose a more flexible approach -- the kinetic activation-relaxation technique (k-ART) -- which lifts these constraints. Our method is based on an off-lattice, self-learning, on-the-fly identification and evaluation of activation barriers using ART and a topological description of events. The validity and power of the method are demonstrated through the study of vacancy diffusion in crystalline silicon.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Perspectives démographiques de Québec et ses environs, 2006-2026

Sont analysés ici quelques résultats tirés d’une projection basée sur une mise à jour des hypothèses de l’édition 2003 des perspectives de population et de ménages de l’Institut de la statistique du Québec. L’évolution démographique attendue d’ici à 2026 est présentée pour les municipalités composant la région métropolitaine (RMR) de Québec, tandis que le portrait régional est complété par des données concernant les diverses MRC des régions administratives de la Capitale-Nationale et de Chaudière-Appalaches. En suivant les tendances actuelles, on estime que la ville de Québec connaîtra, à l’instar de l’ensemble de sa RMR, un accroissement démographique de 10 % et une augmentation de ménages de 20 % entre 2006 et 2026. Les MRC les plus éloignées de la ville centre pourraient quant à elles subir un léger déclin démographique, malgré une augmentation du nombre de ménages.Presented here are results from a forecast exercice based on an update of the hypotheses in the 2003 edition of population and household projections published by the Institut de la statistique du Québec. Expected population patterns up to 2026 are shown for the municipalities composing the Québec metropolitan area (CMA), while the regional profile is completed with data on the regional county municipalities (RCMs) of the administrative regions of Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches. Following current trends, we estimate that Quebec City, like the whole CMA, will see its population increase by 10 % and its private household count by 20 % between 2006 and 2026. The RCMs the furthest from Québec City may see a slight population decline, despite an increase in the number of private households

Binary continuous random networks

Many properties of disordered materials can be understood by looking at idealized structural models, in which the strain is as small as is possible in the absence of long-range order. For covalent amorphous semiconductors and glasses, such an idealized structural model, the continuous-random network, was introduced 70 years ago by Zachariasen. In this model, each atom is placed in a crystal-like local environment, with perfect coordination and chemical ordering, yet longer-range order is nonexistent. Defects, such as missing or added bonds, or chemical mismatches, however, are not accounted for. In this paper we explore under which conditions the idealized CRN model without defects captures the properties of the material, and under which conditions defects are an inherent part of the idealized model. We find that the density of defects in tetrahedral networks does not vary smoothly with variations in the interaction strengths, but jumps from close-to-zero to a finite density. Consequently, in certain materials, defects do not play a role except for being thermodynamical excitations, whereas in others they are a fundamental ingredient of the ideal structure.Comment: Article in honor of Mike Thorpe's 60th birthday (to appear in J. Phys: Cond Matt.